Town News Briefing

ELLINGTON -- Selectmen are expected to discuss and set a date for a referendum on a proposed $27.1 million project to renovate Ellington High and Center schools when they meet tonight.

The state Department of Education would reimburse the town for as much as three-fifths of the project's cost. The town would borrow money through bonds to pay for the rest, leading to an estimated increase in the property tax rate of nearly $2 per $1,000 of assessed value. The project has already won approval from the school and finance boards.

Among the other issues on the agenda are the appropriation of about $14,600 from the town's general fund to purchase furniture for the senior center; the appointment of a fire inspector; and approval of new salary levels for the town's white-collar and supervisory employees under a routine wage re-opener clause.

The selectmen meet at 7:30 p.m. in town hall, 55 Main St.

BOLTON

Town Hall's New Hours Begin July 1

BOLTON -- Town hall will open earlier, but no longer will remain open until 8 p.m. on Tuesdays once a new contract for town hall employees takes effect July 1.

The board of selectmen approved the new schedule by a 3-2 vote last week, with board members Barry Stearns and Stasi Morianos opposed.

Stearns voiced concern that people who work out of town wouldn't be able to get to town hall to conduct business under the new hours, which will be 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays; 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays; and 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday.

Town hall currently opens at 9 a.m. each weekday, but is open Tuesday evenings from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday hours currently are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

``This is something I almost think we should have had a town meeting on,'' Stearns said.

ELLINGTON

School Board

Member Resigns

ELLINGTON -- Marybeth D'Onofrio, a Democrat, has resigned from the school board because of family commitments, board Chairman Maurice W. Blanchette said Friday.

The selectmen are scheduled to accept her resignation at their meeting tonight.

Town Democrats will nominate a replacement in coming weeks.

TOLLAND

Council To Vote

On School Additions

TOLLAND -- The town council tonight is expected to discuss and vote on a proposed $8.8 million project that would add four classrooms to Tolland High School and 19 classrooms to Birch Grove Primary School.

The school board has said the project would help ease crowding in the public schools, where enrollment has soared in the last five years. Voter approval is also required for the project.

The town council was originally scheduled to vote on the additions last month, but postponed a decision until the school board supplied detailed estimates on the costs of the project and of other school building renovations expected in coming years.

The council will meet at 7:30 p.m. on the sixth floor of town hall, 21 Tolland Green.

EAST HARTFORD

Class Given Prizes

In National Contest

EAST HARTFORD -- An eighth-grade social studies class at East Hartford Middle School has won a television and two VCRs for scoring well in a national election-trivia contest.

The class placed first among all Connecticut classes that entered the contest, which consisted of a series of online quizzes devised by the cable station CNN, according to Principal Dave Welch. He said he didn't know how many Connecticut classes had entered; this class, taught by Gary Herman, was the only entrant from the middle school.

The 24 children in Herman's class collaborated on each quiz, Welch said.

BOLTON

Pool Among Requests

Of Recreation Agency

BOLTON -- `Tis the season for wish lists, and recreation commission Chairman Dennis Esliger's is filled with fields of dreams and even an indoor, Olympic-sized pool.

``We felt this answers most of the needs people in town have talked to us about,'' Esliger said after presenting his 5-year capital projects requests to the board of selectmen last week.

The list ranged from the relatively inexpensive -- $1,500 for an electronic scoreboard that could be towed on a trailer -- to construction of an indoor swimming pool, the cost and location of which is to be determined.

``It's not just a question of `Wouldn't it be nice ... ''' Esliger said, referring to the pool. ``I think it's a crime we have kids graduating from Bolton High School without being able to swim or have any training in swimming. This is something that I think would be used a great deal.''

First Selectman Carl Preuss agreed, but noted, ``I think what's going to scare people is the cost.''